Supreme Court refuses to overturn new California districts

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Wednesday denied an effort to overturn California’s new voter-passed congressional map, letting the map go into effect for this year’s midterm elections.

The unexplained, unsigned order ends a bid from the Trump administration and California Republicans to overturn a lower court ruling that found the state’s new congressional map was likely not an unconstitutional racial gerrymander.

Wednesday’s order means the state will be able to use the new map — which targets five seats currently held by Republicans — in November. California was the second state to enter the nationwide partisan mid-decade redistricting arms race after the Texas Legislature passed its own partisan map last summer targeting five seats held by Democrats there.

California’s legislature then set up a ballot measure to override the state’s independent redistricting commission and adopt a new map to target five Republican-held districts. That ballot measure passed in November with more than 60% of the vote.

—CQ-Roll Call

Gunman in DC shooting of 2 National Guard members pleads not guilty

The gunman accused of shooting two National Guard members in Washington, D.C., killing one and seriously wounding the other, has pleaded not guilty to the nine charges against him — including first-degree murder.

Rahmanullah Lakanwal, who was also shot before he was taken into custody, made his brief court appearance Wednesday in a wheelchair and an orange jumpsuit, CNN reported.

In addition to the murder charge, 29-year-old Lakanwal is also facing counts of transportation of a firearm and ammunition in interstate commerce with the intent to commit a felony, three counts of assault with intent to kill while armed, and four counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence or dangerous offense.

The Department of Justice had said it will be seeking the death penalty in the case. On Nov. 26, Lakanwal allegedly used a powerful Smith & Wesson .357 Magnum to open fire on law enforcement near the Farragut Square metro stop, just blocks away from the White House.

—New York Daily News

Could poop be the new way to fight cancer? Here’s what you need to know

DALLAS — One person’s waste could be another’s shot at fighting cancer. The idea may sound far-fetched, but it is gaining momentum in cancer care.

Researchers are testing fecal microbiota transplants as a way of changing the gut’s microbes. This could help treatments, such as immunotherapy, work better, and it could be especially significant for hard-to-reach cancers. These fecal microbiota could also help deliver longer-lasting benefits for more patients.

As the name suggests, a fecal microbiota transplant introduces gut microbes from a carefully screened healthy donor’s stool into a patient’s gastrointestinal tract. It is most often delivered through a colonoscopy, though it can also be given through a tube passed through the nose into the stomach. More recently, some transplants have been delivered in swallowable capsules.

The idea of stool as medicine is not new. Records from fourth-century China describe “yellow soup,” a fecal mixture used to treat severe diarrhea and food poisoning, that reported was considered a “medical cure,” according to a 2012 letter to the editor published in The American Journal of Gastroenterology.

—The Dallas Morning News

Putin and Xi tout trade and political ties in video call

Russian leader Vladimir Putin and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping praised ties between their countries as “exemplary” in their first direct talks of the year.

“The foreign policy link between Moscow and Beijing remains an important stabilizing factor,” Putin said Wednesday in televised remarks from the two leaders’ video call. “We are ready to continue the closest possible coordination in global and regional affairs.”

The Russian leader said that while bilateral trade slightly declined last year, it has exceeded $200 billion “by a solid margin” for three consecutive years. Total trade in 2025 between China and Russia stood at $228 billion, down 6.9% from the previous year, according to Chinese customs data.

Xi told Putin that Beijing would be more proactive in opening the economy, China Central Television reported. He added the two countries should ensure bilateral relations continue to develop along the right track through deeper strategic coordination.

—Bloomberg News